


Bothersome Bludgers & Rubber Duckies

by EvenMadderHatter



Category: K-pop, Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Magic, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Author has 2 working brain cells left, Bang Chan is Whipped, Bang Chan is a Sweetheart, Broken Bones, Fluff and Humor, Gryffindor Bang Chan, Hurt/Comfort, Lee Minho | Lee Know is Whipped, Lee Minho | Lee Know is a Sweetheart, M/M, Quidditch, SO MUCH FLUFF, Slytherin Lee Minho | Lee Know, i love these bois, ouch ouch, some angst tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-14 00:31:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20591684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvenMadderHatter/pseuds/EvenMadderHatter
Summary: “And what do we have here?” A smooth voice questioned and Chan’s eyes flitted back up, only to see the tall Slytherin right in front of him, peering curiously into his eyes with a mischievous look. Chan pressed back against his seat, cursing himself inwardly for blushingMinho straightened back up, amusement shining in his eyes. “Well then,” He brushed off his robes and turned to leave, only stopping to give Chan a wink and a suave, “I’ll see you around, Channie.”And he did.Many, many times....A tale of two magical, fluffy bois who are impossibly whipped for each other.(I suck at summaries I'm sorryyyyyy)





	Bothersome Bludgers & Rubber Duckies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sparkly_Chaotic_Neutral_Aesthetic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sparkly_Chaotic_Neutral_Aesthetic/gifts).

> Hello~ 
> 
> I just felt like exploring Chan/Minho a lil' more since I never write them. It was (unsurprisingly) very fun to write and also turned into a whopping 14,900 words, so that was unexpected. :p whoops? 
> 
> Welp, I hope you enjoy this!!   
Fluffy Banginho (Chanho? MinChan?) will ensue!

“Okay, it says here to pour the poison into the cauldron, and that we’re not allowed to use bezoars anymore so- are you even listening?” 

Minho snapped his head up, eyes focusing on the less-than-bemused boy in front of him. Scratching his head, he quickly assured, “Uh, yeah, bezoars and stuff. Don’t worry, Channie, I got it.” 

The aforementioned boy turned to glare at Minho fiercely, his gaze fearsome as he growled, “Don’t call me that.” Chan picked up the phial of poison- which was a garish shade of bright pink- and looked at it carefully, holding it up to the light.

Minho openly ogled the Gryffindor, noting how rays of sunshine shone in through the window, bathing Chan in a heavenly light. His fluffy, blonde hair was luminous and pretty, and Minho wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch the golden locks. Chan looked angelic and Minho, once again, found himself in a gay panic as he watched the other sixth year. 

“Stop staring at me.” Chan’s eyes flickered to his shoes and Minho could have sworn that he saw the tips of the Gryffindor’s ears turn red, but such theories remained unconfirmed as Chan turned away.

Minho, brazenly unashamed at being caught gawking at his crush, cleared his throat and shook his head. “Get it together, Lee.” He mumbled, berating himself as he strode over to his potions partner, leaning over Chan’s shoulder. 

“What are you doing?” Chan’s exasperated voice asked and Minho gave him his trademark smirk. 

“I’m studying potions. What else would I be doing Christopher?” 

Chan let out a sigh and went back to the potions book. “Why don’t you light the fire? We’ll need to place the cauldron on the flames for a bit so…” His voice trailed off and Minho gave the boy a smirk. 

“Whatever you say, Chrispy.” He teased, stifling his laughter as Chan raised his eyes to the heavens. He walked over to the cauldron, carefully reciting, “Incendio!” as he flicked his wand towards the huge metal pot. 

Satisfied with the flames that emerged from the wand, Minho turned his attention back to the bustling boy across from him. He cocked his head to one side and watched as the Gryffindor went about sorting phials of ingredients calmly. Chan’s ochre eyes gleamed with concentration as he carefully flicked his wand and muttered spells at the phial of poison.

Minho liked to observe Chan. There was no real reason behind it. (No reason other than his giant crush on the other, he means.) After being (somewhat) friends with the blonde for a couple of years, Minho had noticed some things about the older.

One, Bang Chan was possibly the kindest person Minho knew. He was head of the Gryffindor Quidditch team and had led his team to victory multiple times with admirable sportsmanship and determination. He was also a genuinely nice person and was extremely kind to pretty much everyone. This meant, much to Minho’s despair, that most of the girls (and unsurprisingly, some of the boys) at school had crushes on him. That didn’t exactly matter, however, as Chan was an oblivious idiot and couldn’t spot affection if it punched him in the eye. 

Two, Bang Chan was a perfectionist. Whatever he did, he excelled at. It seemed rather impossible to Minho, and he had previously even wondered if the boy cheated on tests, but it turned out that the Gryffindor was just really ambitious. That made Minho feel extremely cheated by the fact that Chan was a Gryffindor and not a Slytherin, like himself.

Of course, this meant that Chan excelled at potions, which was exactly why their professor had paired them together. It was widely known that Minho was failing potions, and after countless futile efforts from the professor to improve his grades, he had decided to pair the worst student with the best. That definitely did not go over well with Chan- Minho was 90% sure that the older had only agreed because the professor promised him extra credit if he went through with it.

Which brought him to the third point. Bang Chan hated Lee Minho.

And sure, maybe Minho had been a bit annoying- as Hyunjin and Changbin loved to point out- but he had always thought it was charming. His little arguments with the cute but uptight Gryffindor were what entertained him, and he couldn’t help it if it got a little irritating. Lee Minho knew he was in big trouble the first time he met Bang Chan. The Gryffindor had been so shy and cute, he had Minho falling head over heels for him in seconds. 

Four- 

“Minho, watch out!” 

Hands shoved him to the side and Minho let out an embarrassing yelp as he fell backwards at the impact. He caught a flash of red as he landed on the ground and raised his head to yell at whoever had pushed him, only to see Chan beating out a raging fire with his tie. At any other time, Minho would have laughed at the sheer absurdity of using a tie to smother a fire, but one look at Chan’s panicked face had him leaping up to help.

Minho quickly grabbed Chan’s hands and pulled him away from the flames, not missing the flash of pain on Chan’s face. Their professor came by almost immediately and used an extinguishing spell, quelling the fire instantaneously.

“Merlin’s beard! I’m sorry Chan-” Minho started as he examined Chan’s skin, which was burned a fearsome red colour. Chan ripped his hands away from Minho and turned away, holding them close to his chest. 

“Mr Bang, I suggest going to see Madam Pomfrey for those burns. She’ll fix you right up.” The professor advised when he noticed the burns, ushering Chan along and out the door. 

The Gryffindor needed no convincing as he set off, ignoring all of the other students’ gazes as he passed. 

Minho hurriedly went after Chan, turning back to say, “I’ll make sure he gets there okay!”. He ran after Chan, berating himself endlessly as he tried to catch up with the blonde boy. 

“God, how did I manage to mess this up?”

  
  
  


_ …  _

  
  
  


_ Chan knew Lee Minho was trouble the first time he laid eyes on the other.  _

_ It had all started at the beginning of Chan’s third year, and he had just arrived at Platform 9 ¾, already anxious for the start of the year. Looking down at his shoes, he hadn’t even noticed a small figure creeping up on him until it was too late.  _

_ “Chris! You’re here!”  _

_ A blonde and red blur slammed into Chan, thin but strong arms wrapping around his waist in a vice grip. Chan laughed loudly as he embraced his Gryffindor bro, swinging Felix around like a teddy bear. They were getting stares from the other waiting students on the platform, but the two boys couldn’t care less. All signs of nerves left Chan in a rush, replaced by pure elation at the sight of his friend.  _

_ “Hey, Lixie! You’re early,” Chan ruffled the younger’s hair, putting him down on the solid ground again.  _

_ Felix nodded enthusiastically, the second year excited for the school year to start. Chan led the younger onto one of the train carriages, looking for the rest of their friend group. They didn’t have to search for long, however, as they found their chaotic mess of friends rather quickly. All they had to do was follow the animalistic screeching that sounded out from one of the compartments.  _

_ When they walked in Chan immediately sighed, facepalming at the sight before them. Jisung was chasing Jeongin around the compartment, leaping over the seats and dashing around people as they raced around. Jeongin was screaming hysterically, begging his hyung to stop as Jisung ran after him, cackling wildly.  _

_ Woojin and Seungmin were sitting, the former looking just as exasperated as Chan was as his eyes tiredly followed the crazed boys. Seungmin was quietly reading a book, impressing Chan greatly with his ability to focus even with the din.  _

_ Chan and Felix moved to sit next to them, wincing at the loud, high pitched screams that Jeongin let loose as Jisung caught up to him, tickling his sides. Jeongin ran past Seungmin, who moved faster than Chan could ever imagine. The Ravenclaw’s arm shot out, grabbing Jeongin around the waist and pulling the youngest onto his lap to cuddle him fiercely. Simultaneously, he stuck his foot out, tripping up Jisung as he flew towards the group. Said trickster fell to the floor, letting out a loud groan as he went limp on the wooden slabs of the train deck.  _

_ The rest of their group cracked up at Jisung’s position, laughing mirthfully at the sight. Jisung picked himself up with a huff, brushing his robes off and straightening his cobalt tie.  _

_ “That was rude,” He huffed in mock anger, moving to squeeze himself next to Felix. Jeongin was about to respond- no doubt with a scathing, sarcastic comment- when the door to their compartment slid open, and a trio of boys walked in, clothed in the telltale serpent-green of Slytherin.  _

_ Chan recognized one of the boys immediately- he was Chan and Jisung’s good friend, Changbin. They had often hung out after quidditch practices and had met up frequently during the holidays. The Slytherin’s burning, coal eyes and his matching black hair gave him a dark intimidating vibe, but Chan knew that the boy was really just a big sweetheart.  _

_ Near Changbin was another familiar face- and a handsome one at that. Chan didn’t miss the little exhale that Jeongin let out as Hwang Hyunjin greeted them with a brilliant smile. Chan vaguely recalled hearing that Hyunjin was part Veela, which made sense. The boy’s beauty was undeniable, from his perfect hazel locks to his eyes, which were a striking, ice blue. Chan faintly wondered if they were contacts or if the boy had charmed his eyes to change colours. Either way, they were captivating.  _

_ As Chan’s eyes wandered between the boys, his gaze snapped onto a tall, imposing figure standing between the two Slytherins. Chan’s eyes widened as he took in the boy’s twinkling, cat-like eyes and the devilish smirk on his face. The boy’s hair was midnight black and fell into his eyes slightly, gleaming with a blue sheen. His robes were slightly dishevelled and his green tie was hanging loose and untied around his neck. His eyes locked onto Chan’s and the Gryffindor felt heat bloom in his cheeks as he looked away quickly. _

_ “And what do we have here?” A smooth voice questioned and Chan’s eyes flitted back up, only to see the tall Slytherin right in front of him, peering curiously into his eyes with a mischievous look. Chan pressed back against his seat, cursing himself inwardly for blushing.  _

_ “Stop teasing him, Minho,” Woojin sighed and pulled the Slytherin back, sending Chan a silent apology.  _

_ So his name was Minho, Chan noted as he latched onto Felix for support. The move was unsuccessful, however, as Felix was completely oblivious to Chan’s dismay. The younger Gryffindor was staring at Changbin with a strange smile. Chan glanced over at his Slytherin friend, only to see Changbin looking back at Felix, his cheeks flushed pink. _

_ “So, cutie, what’s your name?” Chan whipped his head back towards Minho, who seemed to be holding back laughter as he stared back at the flushed Gryffindor.  _

_ Realising that Minho was waiting for an answer, he hurriedly stuttered out, “Uh, um, Chr- I mean Chan! It’s Chan,” He repeated in a smaller voice.  _

_ Minho straightened back up, amusement shining in his eyes. “Well then,” He brushed off his robes and turned to leave, only stopping to give Chan a wink and a suave, “I’ll see you around, Channie.” _

_ And he did.  _

_ Many, many times.  _

  
  


_ …  _

  
  


Chan stared up at the ceiling, ignoring the slight sting of his hands as they rubbed against the scratchy linen of the bed he lay upon. His hands were bandaged and Madam Pomfrey had told him to stay in the Hospital Wing until she came back. They had just run out of burn-healing paste, just his luck, so she had gone to brew more of the orange substance. 

The quiet of the large room was broken by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching from the outside hall, too heavy and rushed to be Madam Pomfrey’s. Panicking, Chan closed his eyes just as the door opened and the person entered. 

Trying his best to act as if he were asleep, Chan listened carefully, trying not to freak out when the person moved to stand next to him. 

“Oh, Chan,” A small voice sounded out and Chan had to force himself to refrain from frowning at the words. Was that… Minho? His suspicions were confirmed when the person whispered a small, “I’m so sorry.” Chan held back a shiver as he felt fingers ghost over his bandaged hand, their touch too light to cause any pain, but heavy enough to send strange, rippling electricity surging through him. 

Chan felt his heart palpitate wildly as Minho curled his hand around Chan’s, holding it carefully. Chan panicked inwardly as he felt his cheeks begin to heat up. He had always had a (not so) small crush on the Slytherin- which was a hopeless situation in itself- and Minho’s hand on his was definitely going to make him explode if he didn’t move it soon. 

Luckily, the universe seemed to hear his silent, panicked-gay-pleads. The door creaked open once again and Chan felt a sudden rush of air from the corridor and the loud taps of shoes hitting the floor as Minho quickly stepped away from him. 

“Mr Lee, what are you doing here? Don’t tell me you’re injured as well!” Madam Pomfrey’s stern but concerned voice questioned as she moved closer, heels clicking on the ground.

“No, no I’m fine!” Minho blurted out as he moved away from Chan. “I just came to make sure he got here alright. With that done I should be getting back to class.” He mumbled and Chan had a feeling that Madam Pomfrey was fixing him with one of her piercing, dubious looks.

“Off you go then,” She pushed him along and Chan let out a sigh as he heard the door shut behind Minho. He immediately stiffened when he heard Madam Pomfrey say in a slightly entertained, slightly disapproving tone, “Now Mr Bang, why were you pretending to be asleep?” 

Chan blushed and gave up on his facade, sitting up in the bed. As Madame Pomfrey stared at him Chan found himself looking anywhere other than the amused witch. “I- uh, um,” Giving up, he settled for a tired, “It’s complicated.” 

Madam Pomfrey shook her head with a small smile and muttered something under her breath that sounded a lot like “Ah, young love,” before she walked up to Chan, rolling up her sleeves. “Let’s get started on those burns, shall we?”

As she carefully applied the tingling tangerine paste, Chan reflected on the moments that had occurred minutes before. He thought about the dizzy spinning in his head and the weird flips his heart was doing in his chest when he pictured Minho. 

Chan was mad at the Slytherin, there was no doubt there. The frustration and confusion he felt were justified, he reasoned with himself. After all, Chan had given him one thing to do and Minho had almost set the entire class on fire. 

But… there had been something in Minho’s voice that made him pause. The way it seemed to tremble ever so slightly as he apologised. The way he touched Chan’s hands like they were made of glass… He shook the memories away, ignoring the way his heart skipped a couple of beats when he remembered Minho’s delicate touch.

After years of knowing the Slytherin, Chan's friendship with him (if he could even call it that) was still as strange as it had been when they first met. Whatever exchanges the two had usually never ended well. Even Felix couldn't change Chan's mind about the conclusion he had drawn.

Minho didn't like him. He had been clear about that many times, Chan affirmed as he sat in contemplative thought. 

Or… had he?

  
  


_ …  _

  
  
  


_ Chan sipped on a tall flute filled with a sweet, bubbly drink. It reminded him of the sodas he used to drink as a kid in Australia. He reminisced on the peaceful days of his childhood. Before he moved to England alone to attend Hogwarts and before the term “muggleborn” was something he cared about. _

_ Looking across the room, he caught a glimpse of Jisung pulling Seungmin up from a table, flinging the younger Ravenclaw's book away. Seungmin protested greatly at that move but gave up and let Jisung drag him to the dance floor. Chan was about to bring his wand out from his pocket to retrieve Seungmin's book when Woojin beat him to it, levitating the thick novel back onto the table. Seungmin glanced back and upon seeing the move, mouthed a quick thanks to his friend before gliding effortlessly back into the dance steps. _

_ Chan switched his attention to another pair of his friends, who were talking nearby. He couldn't help but laugh openly as Changbin awkwardly asked Felix to dance. Felix accepted with a mirthful nod and Chan let out a drawn-out "Aw, cute," as the two swayed to the music.  _

_ The wind whistled slightly outside, almost drowned out by the lively music filling the halls. The moon hung in the sky, it's round face bright and interested in the commotion happening below. Chan stared out the window, looking back at the pinprick stars speckling the sky. The night had been pleasant so far. Peaceful, even. Save for one split second later in the evening. _

_ His dad mode had been activated briefly when one particular Ravenclaw- a girl who had a bad reputation for being manipulative with her significant others- approached Jeongin with troublesome intent, but luckily, he didn’t need to intervene. The crowd seemed to part as a figure walked through it, and Chan couldn’t help but grin as he saw Hyunjin extend a hand to Jeongin, completely ignoring the Ravenclaw girl as he swept the young boy away. _

_ Looking on at all the grinning faces and the elated atmosphere of the party, Chan decided he was glad that the school decided to host a school dance for them. It was a good way to boost morale for the final tests coming soon, and it brought laughter and merriment to the halls of Hogwarts- something they all needed after the infamous Battle of Hogwarts. _

_ Too caught up in his thoughts, Chan didn’t see the person standing awkwardly in front of him until they cleared their throat loudly. He glanced up to see a girl with bright green eyes and shiny blonde hair smiling hesitantly at him. She clutched a glass of the same bubbly drink that Chan had been drinking. It looked a little different, however, but Chan couldn’t tell why.  _

_ As the girl made no move to speak, Chan looked around confusedly before he realised that he might be in her path. “Oh, sorry! Am I in the way?” He asked as he quickly stood up, ready to move away. He was stopped by the girl’s hands clasping his and he met her eyes once more. _

_ Her green eyes were blown wide and she seemed to struggle to speak, her words coming out slightly slurred. “Don’t worry, you’re not in the way. My name is Lucy. I, um, I came here because I wanted to know if you would like to dance?” She asked nervously. _

_ Chan cocked his head to one side, silently wondering if she was okay. The girl- Lucy seemed to be swaying slightly and her fingers were clenched around the cup she held so tight that Chan was afraid the glass would break. _

_ He was jolted back to the situation at hand when she added a rushed, “With me?” _

_ “Oh!” Upon actually comprehending what she was asking, Chan was startled. He certainly hadn’t been expecting anyone to ask him to dance. Feeling bad for the girl- who was practically shaking with nerves- he flashed what he hoped was a charming smile at her and nodded. “I would love to dance.”  _

_ He took her hand and led her to the dance floor, not failing to catch Woojin’s raised eyebrow and his entertained smirk. Chan mouthed panicked words to the Hufflepuff, but just got a shrug in return.  _

_ Turning back to Lucy, he noticed her looking over at a group of girls- he assumed they were her friends. They were gesturing wildly and were whispering words to her, but stopped immediately when they saw Chan looking on. Awkwardly trying to catch her attention, he exclaimed, “Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Cha-” He was interrupted by Lucy suddenly breaking out in laughter. Chan blinked in confusion, wondering what he had said that was funny.  _

_ “I’m sorry,” She apologised as she regained control of herself. “It’s just, everyone knows who you are.” At Chan’s shocked expression she frowned. “You didn’t know?”  _

_ “What? Why would people know me?”  _

_ She gave him an incredulous look as she replied, “You’re Bang Chan. Fourth-year Quidditch champion of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, star student, Mr Nice-Guy. Everyone knows you.”  _

_ Chan cleared his throat awkwardly as he looked around. “I think you may be mistaken-”  _

_ “No, I’m not. I know that you're high-strung and could do with a little bit of... fun.” She pressed and leaned in closer, her drink still sitting idly in one hand. “I snuck in some firewhiskey with my friends and I thought you might like some.” She tried to push the glass into Chan’s hands but he stepped back, protesting.  _

_ “We’re not allowed to bring alcohol in here. The professors told us-” _

_ “Oh come on,” Lucy groaned, rolling her eyes. “Live a little, Chan. If you drink it then I'll win a bet against my friends. Come on, I’ll even give you part of the reward.”  _

_ Chan started to protest again but was stopped when a ghostly whisper carried over to him, hushed and sharp. Before he could turn back to see who had spoken, the visibly intoxicated girl suddenly tripped and her drink fell out of her hand, spilling all over Chan’s viridescent robes. They had been a gift from his mother, he lamented as the spiked drink soaked through the fabric. He could smell the firewhisky clearly now, and it wasn’t a pleasant thing to be drenched in, he found out very quickly.  _

_ His arms shot out on pure reflex to catch the girl, who fell against his sopping green robes.  _

_ “Oh my,” A voice purred as a figure walked over and picked the girl off of Chan. “What a mess.”  _

_ Chan looked up to see none other than Lee Minho, who looked down at the girl with a disdainful expression.  _

_ “Minho? What are-” Chan’s eyes locked on the hilt of Minho’s wand, sticking out of his suit trousers. Looking back at Lucy, who was being supported by her friends, he whirled around and faced the Slytherin. “You used a trip jinx on her?”  _

_ Minho, to his credit, looked regretful as he watched the girl hold back tears. “I thought-” _

_ Chan felt everyone’s eyes bore into him, silently judging him. Facing Minho he glared at him, trying not to die under everyone’s disdainful gazes. “I can’t believe you!” Chan hissed as he turned and left, storming out towards the exit. He passed Felix and Changbin and the former of the two hurriedly ran next to Chan to catch up with him, asking if he was okay. Chan just shook his head and picked up his pace, leaving Felix behind with his date. He was halfway down the hall when a hand grabbed onto his wrist, stopping him in his tracks.  _

_ “It’s cold outside.” Minho’s eyes gleamed in the dark and Chan felt his breath escape him as he stared up at the other. Minho pulled off his suit jacket and dropped it on Chan’s shoulders. “Don’t freeze out here, Christopher.”  _

_ All the warm, fuzzy feelings in Chan’s chest disappeared in an instant, and he scowled at Minho. “How do you know my English name?”  _

_ “I have my ways,” Minho murmured as he walked away, heading in the opposite direction of the party.  _

_ “Minho? The- the party is that way.” He pointed down the hall but Minho didn’t turn around to look. Walking away, his voice carried down the corridor, “I know.”  _

_ As Chan watched him go he vaguely registered the warmth of the coat seeping into him, fueling on his heart as it fluttered in his chest.  _

  
  
  


… 

  
  


“You think he’ll like it?” 

Hyunjin groaned, leaning on Changbin as Minho asked the question for what must have been the seventh time. 

“Minho, what is up with you?” Changbin nudged the older boy. “Ever since yesterday you’ve been… weird.” 

Hyunjin laughed, tossing his light hair out of his eyes. “Yeah, that’s an understatement.” 

“Guys, come on, I really need your help.” Minho pleaded as he held up the little box, showing them the contents again. 

“It’s great! It’s perfect! Now come on, we have to finish eating quickly. Quidditch practice starts soon and this year we have to beat Gryffindor.”

Minho nodded along to the words but wasn’t really listening at all. Instead, his eyes tracked a certain blonde Gryffindor as he went around, greeting two Hufflepuff boys. Minho noticed Hyunjin look over to the Hufflepuff table and lock eyes with one of the boys Chan was talking to. The Hufflepuff waved at Hyunjin, who  _ melted _ at the gesture. Minho refrained from laughing as he took in his fellow Slytherin’s lovestruck expression. Whoever that Hufflepuff boy was he had Hyunjin whipped.

While he was looking at the Hufflepuff boy he accidentally locked eyes with Chan, who looked so infuriated that Minho felt like a kicked puppy. 

“Geez, what did you do to Chris? He’s never looked so mad.” Changbin grimaced as he turned towards Minho. 

“Oh no, I can’t do this! I definitely can’t- he’ll spell me into a pig!” Minho cried in dismay as he put his head down on the table, feeling hopeless. Looking up at Changbin he quickly pleaded, “Bin, you have to do this for me.” 

“What? No, I don’t.” 

“Hey, you owe me from last year when I talked to that Ravenclaw pal of yours, Jisung, and got him to tell me how Felix felt. Remember? How little third-year Changbin was so scared of being rejected-” 

“Alright! Alright! Shut up already,” Changbin groaned, hitting Minho softly on the shoulder. “I’ll deliver your dumb gift-” He ignored Minho’s offended gasp at the insult, “-but after this no more favours. You have to tell Chan eventually, you know? I’m sure he’ll figure it out soon anyway. Every time you see him your eyes get all big and sparkly and-” 

“And you should be going, huh? Go see your freckled boyfriend and don’t forget to give Channie his present, okay?” 

Changbin didn’t respond as he stood up, swiping the box from Minho’s hand as he headed towards the Gryffindor tables.

“Okay?” Minho yelled after him again for clarification, to which he received a less-than-friendly gesture.

Biting his lip nervously, Minho stood up as well, grabbing an apple to take with him to Quidditch practice. This time it was a combined training session, and just his luck, the Slytherins were paired with the Gryffindors. He just hoped his gift was enough to regain Chan’s friendship. 

  
  


… 

  
  


“God, Felix, I don’t know what to do. Does he hate me? I think he hates me. Why does he hate me?” 

Chan’s tirade of questions was quickly put to a stop by Felix, who grabbed Chan’s hands and said, “Channie, calm down. Minho doesn’t hate you. Far from it actually.” 

Chan frowned, his nose crinkling in confusion. “What do you mean?” 

“Really, Chan hyung? You and I both know that you’ve been thirsting over Minho for the better part of… four years now? And from what Binnie tells me it’s definitely not one-sided.” 

Chan’s confusion only grew with that statement and he stared down at his toast, which had gone cold. “But… he’s always so weird around me, you know? Just stares at me and then makes some sort of provocative comment. You remember the Winter dance right?” 

Felix thought for a second before he asked, “Wasn’t the girl he jinxed trying to get you drunk?” 

“Well yeah, but…” Chan paused, pondering the words for a while. Minho  _ did _ help him then, even if his methods were questionable. Was Chan taking all of this wrong? Was Minho really just trying to help him out? 

“Hey guys, sorry to interrupt,” A new voice sounded out and Chan looked up to see Changbin standing next to their table, holding something in his hand. 

“Binnie!” Felix exclaimed happily as he dragged his boyfriend down into the seat next to him. “What brings you to the house of awesomeness?”

Changbin scoffed at the words as he set a box on the table, pushing it towards Chan. “A present.” It was a pastel blue cube, small enough to fit in his hand. 

“For me?” Chan asked, eyes wide in surprise. 

“Who else? Oh, it’s not from me by the way. I am but a messenger.” Changbin declared dramatically as he stood up again, ready to leave. Felix pulled him down by his tie and planted a kiss on his cheek, which made the Slytherin blush uncharacteristically. Changbin cleared his throat before addressing Chan. “I gotta head down to Quidditch practice- I assume I’ll see you there, Chan?” 

Chan nodded, eyes still locked on the box, and Felix brightly added, “I’ll come too! Is it okay if I watch?” 

Changbin nodded and Felix cheered, wishing his boyfriend good luck as he departed. Normally, Chan would have jokingly berated the younger Gryffindor for supporting the wrong team, but he was too focused on the box to notice. 

“Well? What are you waiting for, Chan? Open it.” Felix prompted. Chan carefully lifted the top off of the small box, peering in to see what it contained. 

A notecard greeted him with the words, “I’m sorry Chan- I’ll pay more attention in Potions next time.” written on it in careful script. Picking the card up, he set it aside on the table. Underneath the note was a sparkling object. It was a little necklace, Chan realised as he pulled the delicate silver chain out. A little charm dangled off of it, and upon seeing it, Felix cooed at how cute it was. 

It was a yellow, rubber ducky. 

  
  


… 

  
  


_ “Rubber ducky, you’re the one,” Chan sang happily, walking past the Great Lake. It was a brilliant Summer afternoon and the fifth years had the rest of the day off as the teachers coordinated their next lessons.  _

_ Chan strolled past the glittering surface of the lake, toying with a small rubber duck. It was his only tangible reminder he had of his old home back in Australia. It was childish, sure, but Chan couldn’t bring himself to throw it away. It was far too precious to him.  _

_ “Well, well, well. Look who we’ve found boys.”  _

_ Chan whipped around at the sudden sound, coming face to face with a sneering boy. He vaguely remembered his face from somewhere, but he couldn’t be sure. Behind the boy stood a girl and another boy. Both were scowling.  _

_ “Wh-what do you want?” Chan stuttered as he stepped back, cringing as he felt his trousers get wet from the lake’s water.  _

_   
_ _ “What do we want? We wanna have a little fun.” The boy said, stepping closer to Chan. He noticed the boy’s green crest and realised that he and his friends were Slytherins. What had Chan done to upset some Slytherins?  _

_ “Let’s play a game,” The girl said, walking up to Chan. “It’s called- you tell Headmistress McGonagall that you cheated during the Quidditch match and Slytherin really won.”  _

_ “What?” Chan exclaimed as the girl pointed a finger at him, digging it into his chest. “Why on Earth would I-”  _

_ “Because we refuse to lose to some filthy mudblood!” The words exploded in Chan’s ears and all of a sudden there were hands shoving him back into the lake.  _

_ He clutched onto the rubber duck tightly, unwilling to let it go as he plunged into the icy water. Before he could resurface, a hand grabbed onto the front of his shirt and dragged him back up and out of the lake.  _

_ Coughing up the murky water, Chan gasped for breath, his lungs burning fiercely. Cruel laughter echoed around him and he shivered, standing shakily in his drenched clothes. Merlin’s beard, was he glad that it was Summer. He would never have survived in this state in the Winter. _

_ “Hmm? What’s this?” The Slytherin boy, the ringleader of the trio, grabbed Chan’s wrist painfully and twisted it around, prying the little duck from his fingers.  _

_ “No, stop!” Chan gasped painfully as he reached for the yellow duck, hand closing around it.  _

_ “I don’t think so,” The boy tutted and ripped it away from him, examining it with a derisive laugh. “This some disgusting muggleborn tradition?”  _

_ “No, no, it’s not.” Chan frantically responded, reaching for it. “It’s just-”  _

_ “Worthless,” The boy dismissed harshly. He looked up at Chan with contempt in his callous eyes. “Just like you.”  _

_ He extended his hand back and shut an eye, aiming for the center of the lake, and Chan let out a tortured yell as the boy sent the tiny duck flying-  _

_ Straight into Minho’s hand.  _

_ In his panicked state, Chan didn’t even notice Minho approaching their group until he was right in front of Chan, shielding him from the bullies. Chan sagged in relief as Minho grabbed onto the boy’s wrist and threw it down, pocketing the duck safely under his robes.  _

_ “Now what in the name of Merlin’s most baggy Y-fronts is going on?” Minho growled, and despite the strange statement used, his tone was not to be taken lightly.  _

_ “Minho! Uh, we’re just showing our competition a good time, you know-”  _ __   
  


_ “By throwing him into the lake.” Minho sounded  _ murderous _ , and if Chan had been in the Slytherin boy’s shoes, he probably would have pissed himself.  _

_ “Minho we-” _ __   
  


_ “Go,” He snarled, eyes blazing. When none of them moved, he yelled “GO! NOW!” and Chan swore the sky darkened a couple of shades.  _

_ The trio of bullies turned tail and left, racing away, leaving Chan alone with Minho.  _

_ “Are you okay?”  _

_ Chan looked up in shock at the Slytherin before him. Minho’s voice was as gentle as the Giant Squid that inhabited the lake. Which, actually, upon thinking about it, didn’t sound all that gentle but Chan had fed the squid some leftover toast from breakfast before and he knew it really was just a big softie.  _

_ “Chan?”  _

_ “Huh?” Chan met Minho’s concerned eyes and hurried to answer. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine! Just peachy,” He mumbled as he looked down at his soaked clothes.  _

_ “Let’s get you back to the dorms,” Minho murmured as he took Chan’s hand and led him back into Hogwarts.  _

_ They got a couple of strange looks from passing students but soon enough they were standing in front of the entrance to the Gryffindor dorms. Chan’s hair was mostly dried and his clothes were beginning to lose some of their moisture as well.  _

_ “Well, I guess this is where we part,” Minho said, leaning against a wall. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure those three never step anywhere near you again.”  _

_ “Don’t trouble yourself for me, Minho,” Chan whispered, wrapping his arms around himself protectively.  _

_ “I’ll always care about you, Channie. And it’s no trouble,” Minho stood, turning to leave. “It’s fun.” _

_ Before Chan could say anything, Minho tossed an object behind his shoulder and he scrambled to catch it. _

_ It was the rubber duck.  _

_ “I’ll see you around Chan.”  _

_ Chan watched Minho’s receding figure as he left the hallway, robes billowing behind him.  _

_ “Bye.”  _

  
  


_ …  _

  
  


Chan raced out of the changing rooms, clad in his Gryffindor Quidditch robes. As team captain, he couldn’t be late to their own practices. It was unprofessional. Which was how he found himself running at full sprint to the Quidditch fields, bolting past passing students and teachers. 

Getting there just in time, he saw the Slytherin players fly into the air on their brooms and smacked his forehead, realising that he had forgotten his broomstick. Ready to turn and run back, he was stopped by a familiar voice. 

“Don’t worry, Chan, I got you.” 

Chan turned to see Jisung, grinning widely at him. He held a broom at his side and Chan, upon seeing it, gave his friend a giant hug. 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” He jumped up and down as he gratefully took the broom. 

“You’ve got to stop forgetting your broomstick, Chan hyung.”

Chan dismissed the words cooly, too preoccupied with getting to his team. He mounted the broom and flew up to them, nodding at the students in a greeting before getting the practice started. He may be a shy person when surrounded by strangers, but when it came to Quidditch, Bang Chan did not come to play- he came to slay. 

“Alright guys, you know the drill. This is a combined practice to prepare for the games next week. It’s rare that the Slytherin team ever agrees to play together outside of actual tournaments so take this opportunity to observe and learn their playing styles. Be careful though, we can’t have anyone getting hurt so close to the big game. And of course, let’s have fun and win this!” 

With that, they spread out across the sky, taking their respective positions. Chan was a chaser, and a damn good one at that- he had an amazing aim and a strong throw, which made him ideal for the position. 

On the opposite side of the field were the Slytherin team. Chan managed to catch Hyunjin- the Slytherin team’s seeker- as he did a couple spins on his broomstick, warming up. Behind the half-Veela boy were Changbin and Minho, the beaters for Slytherin. The two of them seemed to be conversing amicably as they stretched their arms, getting ready to swing their bats.

For a split second, Chan caught Minho’s eyes and he smiled warmly at Chan, flashing two thumbs up. Chan nervously touched the pendant on his neck, letting a small smile slip onto his lips as he felt the duck charm dangling from the silver. He sent the Slytherin a thumbs up of his own and began warming up, instructing the other chasers to do a couple of warm-up laps and throws. 

And all too soon, the referee blew their whistle and the game had begun. 

The referee threw the quaffle into the air and Chan zipped forward on his broomstick, neatly gaining possession of it. He held the ball carefully and dove under a Slytherin chaser, deftly turning mid-air to pass the quaffle to another chaser- a young boy called Mark. Mark just barely dodged a bludger as he yelled out “Wow, that was  _ sweet _ !” in English of all things, and Chan couldn’t help but laugh at the random words.

Distracted, Chan didn’t see the player heading right for him until they were mere centimeters away from colliding. He jerked to the right, barely avoiding the other chaser thanks to his reflexes. Looking back to make sure the other player was alright, Chan didn’t see the hurtling mass coming towards him at full speed until he heard Hyunjin yell out “Chan! Watch out!” 

He turned quickly just in time to see a bludger coming straight towards him, zooming through the air. It was too late to dodge it, so Chan just curled in on himself, protecting his head as he braced for the painful impact of the bludger to his side. 

Instead of the excruciating pain of the bludger hitting his side, Chan felt a rush of air and flinched as a loud clang sounded out. He snapped his eyes open to see the bludger flying away, seemingly hit off course by another heavy bludger. It would have taken massive strength to push the bludger off course, Chan numbly realised as he stared at the receding ball. He jolted out of his state of shock and jumped back into the game, his mind still trying to process what had just happened. 

Looking at the Slytherin side, he caught a glimpse of Minho, holding his beater’s bat, dragging his sleeve across his forehead. Chan realised with a start that Minho had hit a bludger into the one that had been about to knock Chan off of his broom. The Slytherin had saved him. 

Chan flew by Minho and caught the other’s attention, mouthing a quick “Thanks,” at the beater. Minho gave him a big smile and they continued playing, with Chan dodging every bludger that the Slytherins sent his way. 

The game ended when Hyunjin snatched up the snitch, almost falling off his broom doing so. The Gryffindors- while extremely disappointed at their loss, shook hands with the proud Slytherins, trying their very best not to smack the serpents around as they paraded around the field, bellowing cheers. (Although Mark did have to stop one of Gryffindor’s beaters, Lucas, from sending a vicious bludger over to hit them off their high horses.) 

As Chan exited the changing areas, he was quickly pulled to the side of the building by none other than a very exultant, very excited Minho.

“I can’t believe we won! I thought for sure we would lose against your team- I mean, you guys have such a solid group this year,” Minho eyed Chan with a sly grin and added, “And your captain,  _ wow _ , he can knock me off my broom anyti- ow!” Minho yelped as Chan slapped him upside the head, sighing at the comment. 

“What did you need, Minho?” 

Minho looked up at Chan, his mouth turning up in a soft, apprehensive smile. “I noticed you’re wearing the necklace.” He nodded towards the duck charm on Chan’s neck and the Gryffindor nodded, hopelessly trying not to blush. “Thank you,” Minho added in a smaller voice. 

Chan didn’t know what to say and instead opted to nod simply. He began to walk away, heading back to the Gryffindor dorms when Minho grabbed onto his hand. 

“Wait!” He yelped as he ran in front of Chan with his arms outstretched, intent on keeping Chan from leaving. “I was wondering…” Minho trailed off as he met Chan’s eyes. Taking a breath he continued. “I was wondering if you would come to my game tomorrow? It’s against us and Hufflepuff and I really want you to be there. I understand if you can’t or if you don’t want to or-”

Chan placed a hand on his shoulder, effectively quieting him. “I’ll be there.” He smiled, laughing a little at the other’s elated expression. 

“Alright well, I’ll see you there!” Minho confirmed excitedly as he turned and ran back giddily towards the Slytherin changing room- no doubt to tell Changbin and Hyunjin of the latest development. 

Chan didn’t mind the hasty exit. The adorable smile on Minho’s face and the way his eyes turned into little crescent moons made him want to  _ die _ . Those memories of Minho would keep him up at night, he realised with a groan. 

He also knew by the looks on Felix and Jisung’s faces that the two of them had seen what had just occurred. And he knew by their matching smirks that the teasing would definitely not stop.

He was right.

  
  


… 

  
  


He really should have brought a coat. Chan groaned as the wind swept around him, icy and cruel. His skin prickled as he grabbed onto his arms, trying to conserve as much heat as possible. 

Remembering his promise to Minho, he had rushed out of his class as soon as it had finished in order to get a good seat for the Slytherin-Hufflepuff match, but in his hurry, he had forgotten to grab his favourite scarf and jacket. 

Felix, all bundled up in his coat, was chattering excitedly next to him about Changbin playing as he gazed up at the Slytherin Quidditch Team, suspended in the sky. Chan looked up as well, spotting Jeongin on the Hufflepuff side, wrapped up tight in a large yellow and black scarf, the end trailing loosely behind him in the wind. Scanning the other side of the field, he quickly found the Slytherin team. He searched through the players, searching for Minho, but had no luck. 

“Hey, Fe, can you see Minho anywhere?” 

At the mention of the Slytherin, Felix gave him a side-look paired with a teasing smirk and Chan groaned at his face, elbowing him.    
  


“All right, all right, cool yourself lover-boy,” Felix glanced up and squinted at the witches and wizards, his light irises flickering from player to player. “Um, I see Changbinnie!” He ignored Chan’s snort at that and continued. “Oh, and there’s Hyunjin! Hey, is it just me or…” 

Chan laughed as he looked at his friend. “Yup, he’s  _ totally _ checking out Jeongin.” 

“With hearts in his eyes!” Felix exclaimed, pressing his hand to his own heart, performing a mock-swoon. Chan caught Felix as the younger boy flopped against him, dramatically shielding his eyes as he moaned, “Oh, the love in the air, it blooms!” 

Chan rolled his eyes at the younger’s antics and heaved Felix off of himself, looking back up to the sky. “I wonder if he’s okay,” He mumbled slightly as he continued his search for Minho. 

Suddenly, a fanfare sounded out and the crowd turned towards something flying towards them. Felix let out a loud gasp as he pressed his sleeve-covered hands to his mouth, yelling out to Chan, “Is that-”    
  


“That stupid idiot,” Chan growled as he looked on, wishing he wasn’t really seeing the sight before him. 

Minho, covered in vibrant green snakes, flying shakily but triumphantly on his broom, soaring above the watching crowd. 

Chan sat down with a huff, staring up at Minho’s snake-covered figure with disbelief in his eyes. This had to be the dumbest thing he had ever seen. As the Slytherin swooped over them, Chan realised that the emerald serpents were a product of some sort of illusion spell, their tails curling off into wavering green smoke. 

He shivered as a particularly strong gale swept through the air. Worry bloomed in his chest as he turned his attention to the racing clouds above. It was not the ideal weather for Quidditch. He hoped no one had an accident so close to the winning final games. 

The crowd of Slytherins watching roared and cheered as Minho flew by them but Chan just continued staring at the greying clouds, concern growing in his chest as he observed them. Then, all of a sudden, his vision was blocked by a dark figure. 

“Here you go, cutie.” 

Chan snapped his eyes up to see a snake-less Minho hovering in front of him, grinning widely. Suddenly, Minho moved, leaning forward towards the seated Gryffindor. A blanket of warmth coated Chan, engulfing his frame in a comforting heat. Minho carefully secured his green and black coat around Chan’s shoulders. 

Chan gripped onto the velvety coat, locking eyes with the boy hovering on the broom in front of him. “Minho no, it’s cold outside! You’ll be-” 

Minho pressed a finger to Chan’s icy-red lips, shushing him quietly. Chan tried to take the coat off to give it back, but Minho protested greatly before making his escape, giving Chan a sly wink before flying up to his waiting team. 

Clutching onto the warm coat, Chan realised with a painful throb in his heart that he was falling for the Slytherin. 

He was falling for Minho. 

  
  


… 

  
  


Minho walked quickly down the great halls to the Slytherin Common Room, a giant grin stuck on his face. The match had been won by Slytherin, thank goodness. Minho could never live down being beaten by the adorable, fluffy Hufflepuffs. Although there had been some close calls where Minho thought Hyunjin would lose the snitch to Hufflepuff’s seeker- a small, smiley boy that he had seen a lot around his Slytherin friend. He had also noticed Hyunjin was a lot more distracted and aloof around the petite Hufflepuff, which was definitely worth exploring later, he noted.

Thinking back to the game, Minho was hit by the image of an adorable, slightly frozen Gryffindor boy and the vivid blush that bloomed on his cute red face when Minho gave him his Quidditch coat. His heart swelled in his chest as he thought about how Chan came so early to watch his game and how he managed to secure a win in front of the older.

Climbing down the stairs to the Slytherin Dungeon, he quickly uttered the password “Bloody Baron” and entered the common room. What he saw had him jumping back with a shocked scream. 

Changbin and Chan’s little Gryffindor friend- Felix, Minho believed his name was- caught in an intense liplock. 

The two boys jumped back at Minho’s scream, letting out shrieks of their own as they turned to face him. Felix jumped up, his face burning, and grabbed his coat, shying behind Changbin as the Slytherin stood in front of him. 

  
“What in the ever-loving hell is going on here?” Minho exclaimed, a smile beginning to creep on his lips as he watched Changbin stumble for words. “Oh, you know what,” Minho sighed, eyeing the blushing boys. “Have fun kiddies. Be smart.” He strode over to the other side of the common room, pulling open the door to the dorms. Reaching for his dorm room, he slid his fingers over the smooth, brass doorknob, twisting it open. 

Changbin jumped forward, his eyes wide as he called out to his friend, “Wait, Minho I don’t think-” 

The door swung open to reveal Hyunjin, holding Hufflepuff’s seeker close, their faces fractions away from each other. 

“Oh my god! What is wrong with this house?” Minho yelled, throwing his hands up to shield his eyes from the debauchery in the room. 

At Minho’s shout, the small Hufflepuff boy let out a little squeak and clung onto Hyunjin’s arm, hiding behind him. The Slytherin patted the boy’s head and fixed Minho with a death stare, silently telling him to get out of the room. 

“Hey, this is my room too, you know?” Minho grumbled but relented, backing out of the room. 

Hyunjin strode up to the door and gave him a small, “Thanks, hyung, I owe you one.” before he shut the door, leaving Minho out in the hallway.

“Well, now what?” Minho mumbled to himself as he left the hallway, hurriedly walking through the common room. He averted his eyes from Changbin and his blonde boyfriend, even though Changbin yelled frantic reassurances over to him that they weren’t doing anything, and made his way to the outside halls. 

Leaning against the stairwell, he looked up at the spiralling steps, letting his mind wander. The sounds of the great clock filled the silence until all he could hear was the steady tick as the minutes passed by. 

Which was why he was taken by complete surprise when hands latched onto his coat and pushed him against the wall. 

And a pair of lips pressed to his. 

  
  


… 

  
  


Chan strolled down the large halls of Hogwarts, heading down to the subsections. Not a lot of non-Slytherin students went down to the Slytherin Dungeon- Gryffindors in particular, so the darkening halls were foreign and a little scary to him.

He clutched onto a green and black coat, taking comfort in the warmth it radiated. Minho had forgotten to take back his coat after the game had ended- too busy celebrating the win, Chan supposed- so Chan had decided to venture down to the Slytherin dorms and hand it back to him. 

Despite the desolate, cold halls, Chan happily climbed down the stairs, a grin slipping onto his lips unconsciously. He replayed the moments at the Slytherin-Hufflepuff game in his head as he descended further and further into Hogwarts’ basement. He felt Minho’s hands drape the coat over his shoulders and saw his gentle smile with such vividness that he felt his ears begin to burn. 

Wishing the images away, Chan carefully folded up the coat as he reached the end of the stairwell, ignoring the way his heart sang as the Slytherin common room came into sight. Felix had told him that he would be visiting the Slytherin dorms and that he could let Chan in if the portrait denied him entry. (Which, if the Slytherin portrait was anything like the Fat Lady, was extremely likely.) 

Stepping off the staircase, Chan went up to the Slytherin Dungeon door, ready to knock on the wood. 

Until he saw them. 

Them being a girl, her brown hair flowing down her back, pressed close to a boy, their lips interlocked. When she moved, Chan saw something that shattered his heart, tearing it into shreds.

The boy she was kissing, was Minho.

Chan locked eyes with him a split second before the tears came.

Then, he ran.    
  


Tears spilling down his cheeks, Chan raced up the marble staircase, trying desperately not to break down in front of Minho. He flew through the halls, trying to get back to the Gryffindor dorms before he completely broke down. 

Vision blurred by tears, Chan didn’t see the people in front of him until he slammed right into them, stumbling to the floor painfully.

“Chan?” 

Chan knew that voice. He looked up to see Jisung and Seungmin staring down at him with wide, panicked eyes.

“H-hi guys,” Chan croaked out, hoping he didn’t sound as terrible as he felt. 

“Oh my god, Chan hyung what happened to you?” Seungmin asked, crouching down next to him. 

Chan couldn’t speak. His entire body was shaking and his heart was about to give up on him- pained and fractured. Barely holding on. 

Jisung seemed to understand. He pulled Chan up, wrapping an arm around the Gryffindor’s waist. “Come on, hyung. Let’s go to our room. Ravenclaw Tower is safe, no one will ask any questions.” Seungmin made a dubious noise and Jisung elbowed him. “We’ll make sure no one asks any questions.” Jisung reiterated as he began moving, holding Chan up as he led him to the staircase. 

In a flash, they were up the stairs and in the Ravenclaw dorms, surrounded by bookshelves and comfortable looking furniture patterned with the house’s trademark blue upholstery. Jisung and Seungmin led him to their room, ignoring all of the looks they were getting from other Ravenclaws. 

Jisung sat Chan down on his bed and immediately engulfed the older in a giant hug, holding him close. Seungmin shut the door and went to sit on Chan’s other side, giving the older a back-hug. So Chan sat there, sandwiched by the two boys, trying to hold his broken heart together as best he could.

After a while, Jisung gently pried Minho’s coat from Chan’s vice-like hold and put it away, out of his sight. Chan hadn’t even realised that he had still been holding it. With the realisation came a flood of pain as he thought about Minho kissing the Slytherin girl.

Why had he done it? Chan had thought, for a stupid, stupid moment that Minho liked him back. Maybe even a little more than friends do. Then, he had seen Minho and the girl and Chan realised what an idiot he had been. 

He didn’t know when Woojin and Felix got there- and how the two of them knew about Chan’s situation- but all of a sudden he was being held in one of the Hufflepuff’s famous bear hugs and Felix was tracing light shapes onto his hands and arms, which just got his waterworks started up all over again.

Exhausted, Chan fell asleep, nestled against Woojin’s chest as the older spoke softly, whispering comforting words to the Gryffindor. 

Little did he know, his friends would be up to things while he was asleep. 

Revenge, to be exact. 

  
  


… 

  
  


“And she just  _ kissed _ you?” 

“Yeah!” Minho yelled throwing his arms in the air with a horrified expression. Changbin winced at the answer, exchanging a look with Hyunjin, who was lounging on one of the plush, emerald seats. 

“And Chan was  _ right there _ ?” Hyunjin asked, shrugging at Changbin behind Minho’s back. 

“Yeah! She thought that I liked her! Some Slytherin tricksters told her I did and I- augh! I pushed her away but I think Chan saw us and I don’t know what to do!” Minho flailed his arms around as he paced back and forth throughout the empty common room. 

Felix and Jeongin had left a while ago together as they didn’t want to be rude and kick Minho out of his own dorm room. As for the rest of the loitering Slytherins, Hyunjin had cleared everyone out when Minho had strode in with the wild, panicked eyes he had now, knowing immediately that it was a big emergency- and most likely a private one at that.

“Why does this have to happen to  _ me _ ? I- Can’t they tell I’m gay? Like, super-duper gay!”

Changbin and Hyunjin fixed him with dual raised eyebrows. “Minho you look and act as straight as a ruler, you dummy.” Hyunjin deadpanned and Minho groaned dramatically. 

“Sorry, Min, but you’re screwed.” Changbin apologetically said from where he sat on his own green seat. 

Minho stopped in his tracks and turned to him, his eyes wide and frightened. “What? Why?” 

The doors slammed open and revealed Felix, with a visibly frightened Jisung and a nervous Jeongin coming up behind him. 

Minho barely had time to blink before Felix’s hand connected with his cheek and a loud slap sounded out in the quiet of the room. 

“Because of that,” Changbin finished with a wince as Hyunjin stood up automatically, stepping forward to pull Felix away from his friend. 

Minho stumbled back in shock as his cheek burned, his hand coming up to graze it slightly as he stared at the seething Gryffindor in shock.

“How dare you!” Felix yelled, his eyes flashing with unbridled rage. His voice was deep and thunderous, reverberating in the silent room. “What did Chan ever do to you? If you don’t like him then say it to his face instead of leading him on like some toy!” 

Minho stared wide-eyed at the furious Gryffindor, shocked at the boy’s unexpected power. “I-I didn’t-”    
  


“Stay away from him.” Felix hissed, his eyes narrowing as he jabbed a finger into Minho’s chest. “If I catch you anywhere near my friend I swear I’ll-”    
  


“Felix, stop!” Changbin grabbed the blonde’s wrist, pulling him away from Minho. “You don’t understand-” 

“Changbin, really? You’re siding with  _ him _ ?” Minho shrunk under Felix’s scalding gaze. “You know what he did to Chan right? You must know!” 

“I do, Felix, and trust me, it’s messed up, but it’s not the whole story.” He carried on before Felix could interrupt. “Minho doesn’t know that girl. Never even spoke to her once.” 

“And he  _ kissed _ her? Wow, he seems like a great person.” 

Minho winced at Felix’s scathing sarcasm, too scared to defend himself against Felix’s assumptions. Looking at Changbin, he gave the Slytherin a look that he hoped screamed ‘Defend me better bro!’ Changbin seemed to take the hint and shook his head at Felix’s words. 

“No, no, he didn’t! She pushed herself on him. We think her friends told her that Minho wanted it. Some friends they are,” He added on in an angry, muted voice. 

Felix looked up at his boyfriend with narrowed, sceptical eyes, which flitted to fix on Minho. Minho tried to look believable and locked eyes with the small Gryffindor, his gaze unwavering. 

“Are you- is that true?” 

Changbin nodded and Felix seemed to deflate, pressing a hand to his temple. He swore lightly under his breath before looking up at Minho with anxious eyes. “You better tell that to Chan. He thinks you hate him.” 

Minho breathed in sharply at the words. “You- you think he’ll see me?” Minho asked, his voice quivering slightly. 

“Chan is… he’s pretty messed up right now. He might not believe you at this point, but you should try.” 

Minho nodded and sprinted out of the room, flashing by Jisung and Jeongin, who stood at the doors with crestfallen expressions. He ran up the stairs and through the halls, ignoring the incredulous huffs he received from teachers and the shouts from other students as he narrowly avoided collisions with them. Chan was the only thing on his mind. Chan was the only thing that mattered. 

Flying up the stairs to Gryffindor tower, Minho reached the entrance to the common room in record time, it seemed. His heart was pounding in his head, spurring him on as he ran up to the Fat Lady, speaking quickly to the portrait. 

“You’ve got to let me in! Please,” Minho struggled to breathe as the words escaped him in a garbled mess. “I’ve royally screwed up this time.” 

The Fat Lady harrumphed and turned her nose up at the Slytherin, staring down at him with an indignant look. “Indeed you have, Slytherin.” She spat the word like an insult and Minho’s hopes of seeing Chan fell away. He didn’t give up though. He couldn’t. Not on Chan. 

“You don’t understand, I’m here to explain! He doesn’t understand it was all a horrible, terrible misunderstanding-” 

The Fat Lady heaved a loud sigh that echoed in the empty hall, ringing in Minho’s ears. “He doesn’t want to see you. I think the entire school could hear his sobs, you know. It was awfully depressing if you ask me.” 

Minho’s eyes widened at the words and he felt his heart wrench in his chest as he imagined Chan crying because of his stupid mistake. “What have I done?” He whispered painfully, digging his nails into his arms. 

“It’s getting late, boy. I suggest you go back down to your dungeons.” The Fat Lady urged, playing with a strand of her curling hair. 

“But I-” 

“Don’t you have a Quidditch match tomorrow?” The Fat Lady interrupted, fixing him with a look Minho couldn’t quite read. 

Shoot. Minho paled at the revelation. The Gryffindor-Slytherin game was indeed the next day. He had forgotten all about it in the midst of all of the drama with Chan. And just his luck- he would be playing against Chan in the game. 

“Go, boy. Get some rest. You wouldn’t want to fail your precious team, would you?” The Fat Lady asked, her painted brow raised. “You’ll have your chance to speak with him tomorrow.” She added in a quieter voice, turning away. 

Minho cocked his head at the action. Was the painted woman nicer than he originally thought? 

“Now leave! I need my sleep and I do not intend to waste precious time on a Slytherin of all things!” 

Minho raised his hands up, surrendering, and turned back to walk down the stairs. As he descended down he looked back one last time at the doors, swearing silently that he would tell Chan everything the next day. And he meant everything.

He was going to tell Chan about his feelings. 

  
And hopefully not die in the process. 

  
  


… 

Despite Woojin and Felix’s concerns, Chan had thrown his red jersey and cape on and had mounted his broom, ready for arguably the most anticipated game of the season. The Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry was always something to be wary of at Hogwarts. Chan couldn’t even speculate as to how many pranks and tricks had been carried out against his house by the Slytherins and vice versa. 

Which was why he absolutely couldn’t miss the Quidditch game between the two. Even though Jeongin had said his eyebags looked like they were going to swallow his eyes. Which was a horrifying thing to say, he had told him. (Jeongin had merely shrugged and told him it was the truth- which, Chan could admit, stung a little.) 

So, there Chan was, hovering incredibly high above the ground, feeling like death warmed over. He hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep last night. Every time he had closed his eyes he had seen Minho and that image was too painful to bear. So he had stayed up trying to distract himself from his present situation- which was downright laughable and what in the world had Chan done to make life hate him so much?

He stared down at the ground, not wanting to catch a glimpse of the crowing Slytherins attempting to psyche out the Gryffindor players. 

Completely out of it, Chan didn’t realise the game had started until people started racing forward around him and Mark gave him a concerned look. Shaking his head clear of thoughts, Chan concentrated on the game playing out in front of him, desperately trying to stay upright and moving on his broom. 

He thought he caught a brief glimpse of Felix, Jisung, and Seungmin in the cheering crowds, but he couldn’t be too sure because his vision kept swimming in and out of focus.

Zipping forward, he barely managed to catch a quaffle, lobbed at him from somewhere on his left. Pushing himself, he managed to toss it through one of the goals, relishing for a brief moment in the resounding cheers that reached him from far below. He felt a momentary break from the exhaustion battling him as he flashed a bright smile at the red and gold crowd. 

As the Slytherin chasers gained possession of the ball, Chan got ready to intercept their throws with a tight spin. He went after the green cloaked players, squinting as the sun shone brightly in his eyes. Perhaps he could make it out of the match alive after all, he thought as he paused in the sky, searching for his teammates in the fray. 

A loud clang of metal hitting metal sounded out and Chan’s eyes caught a flicker of grey, blurring in the corner of his vision.

Then, it hit him.

A loud, terrifying crack sounded out, and for a second Chan was confused as to what caused it. Then, the excruciating agony shot through his arm, spreading up his body like a tidal wave of pain. 

Chan screamed out as the bludger connected with his arm, knocking into his side before rebounding off of him. Wobbling on his broomstick as the aftershocks jarred his arm, Chan felt his grip slip off the narrow stick. As his fingers loosened their hold, Chan felt his body give out on him, sliding off of the broom and into the abyss below. 

Chan let his arms leave his sides, stretching them out like wings as he plummeted down towards the ground. A numb feeling spread across his body and his head felt light and floaty. His eyes looked up to meet the heavens. As his eyes began to flutter shut, he made out the dark shape of a person, soaring towards him, their hands outstretched. 

A small smile slipped onto Chan’s face as he fell, letting his eyes slip shut. 

  
  


… 

  
  


Minho eyed the blonde Gryffindor warily, not missing the dark eyebags the other was sporting and how he was barely able to stay upright on his broom. Chan looked completely exhausted and Minho knew it was his fault. He consoled himself by remembering that as soon as the game was over, he’d be able to talk to Chan for a long, hopefully, uninterrupted duration. The morning had been too hectic- what with all of the crammed Quidditch practices that Slytherin held before the game- and Minho hadn’t even seen Chan. Now that he was staring at the other, he knew one thing. 

He had to end the game as fast as he could, for both his sake and Chan’s. He didn’t know if he could stand another minute with their relationship being so strained and broken. He also didn’t know if Chan could play for even a second without passing out. 

Not a second too soon, the referee blew her whistle and the games started. Minho forced himself to stop staring at Chan- who was worryingly still in the midst of all the bustling players- and got his head in the game, intent on making Chan’s suffering as short as possible. 

He nodded towards Changbin and the beater gave him a quick thumbs up. The two of them slammed their bats into the bludgers with enviable strength, sending the magical metal balls flying. Minho muttered a victorious “Yes!” as his bludger hit the back of a Gryffindor witch’s broom, making her fumble and lose possession of the quaffle, which was quickly scooped up by a Slytherin. 

  
The game continued on, with the two beaters sending a relentless barrage of brutal bludgers that hit more often than they missed. Minho weaved through the crowd of players smoothly, sliding up next to his teammates to deflect incoming bludgers. 

So caught up in helping the game along, Minho lost sight of the bludger for a second as it careened across the field, hit awkwardly by one of the Gryffindor’s beaters. Minho’s eyes trailed it languidly, getting his bat ready to slam it back to the mass of red capes. 

As he concentrated on its path, Minho’s vision honed in on a figure, wearing the vivid red of the Gryffindors, in the direct path of the bludger. Minho winced, knowing that it would probably bruise the Gryffindor, even if they moved quickly. Getting hurt by the bludgers sucked, Minho could affirm. He squinted at the player as he approached, wondering why they weren’t in the midst of moving away from the bludger. The person wasn’t a beater, so why would he-

Minho’s eyes locked onto fluffy, luminous blonde hair as it shone in the sunlight and he met the widening ochre eyes of the boy just as the bludger connected with his arm. 

“Chan! Watch out!” Minho screamed, too late in his warning for it to be any help. 

The loud snap of bone breaking rang out across the air, and almost everyone paused. Even the crowd below went deathly silent as the boy cried out, his grip faltering on the broom he held. 

Then, he fell. 

And all hell broke loose. 

The crowd below screamed and so did some of the players. Some of the Gryffindors acted on reflex and flew speedily towards Chan’s falling frame, but Minho knew they were too far. They wouldn’t make it on time. 

Minho dove, shooting downwards towards the grass with increasing speed. He ignored the vicious wind slicing into him and the icy air, his only focus being Chan. 

Tears streaked from Minho’s eyes, past his temples. The drops flew into the air behind him, disappearing into nothingness. The ground was coming at them fast, too fast. It rushed up to pull them into its grasp and never let go. There was only one thing he could do. 

Minho leapt off his broom, his hands outstretched towards Chan’s body. He reached desperately for Chan as he neared him, the blonde’s limbs splayed out in the air, like a broken-winged bird. 

Minho saw those brilliant ochre eyes sparkle at him before they shut. He saw the accepting smile spread across Chan’s pale face. 

“No! No, you can’t give up! CHAN! DON’T GIVE UP!” The words were torn from Minho’s throat as they fell down, down, down, plummeting into the depths, fractions apart. 

And then, almost by a miracle, Chan’s eyes opened. They locked onto Minho’s and the Slytherin watched as awareness sparked in his eyes. He threw out an arm, as Chan did the same. 

Their fingers curled around each other tightly and Minho drew Chan into his hold, shielding the other as they tumbled down. He felt Chan’s ice-cold nose press into his neck and just held on harder, positioning himself to take the brunt of the fall.

  
Just as they were about to become a Christmas themed-coloured pancake on the hard ground, someone- Minho suspected it was one of the professors- hastily cast a slow falling spell, and suddenly, Minho and Chan were practically weightless, landing lightly on the ground. 

Minho immediately lowered Chan to the floor, laying him on his lap. Cradling him close to his chest, Minho frantically croaked out with his spent voice, “Chan? Are you okay?” 

Chan’s eyes were shut, the pallor of his face extremely concerning, and Minho nearly had a heart attack when the boy’s neck lolled to the side. Until the Gryffindor let out a little exhale that almost sounded like a snore. 

“Oh, Chan.” Minho sighed, brushing a golden strand away from his shut eyes. He fell back on the soft grass “What would I ever do without you?” 

  
  


… 

  
  


When Chan woke up the first thing he registered was the horrible, all-consuming pain clawing into his arm. It felt like a bear was gnawing on it- and not a cute, fuzzy bear. A very angry, very hungry bear. 

The second thing he noticed was the fingers curled around his uninjured hand. His eyes trailed up the sun-kissed skin, following the limb until they fixed on a handsome face partly covered by messy black hair propped up on the arm. 

Chan felt a dopey grin slide onto his face as he observed Minho, noting how the Slytherin was drooling slightly as he slept. His heart picked up a little as he realised that Minho was still in his Quidditch robes. He had been at Chan’s side since the accident. 

Chan’s eyes flickered up, only to meet a pair of hazy, sleep-filled, eyes. He flinched as he saw Minho looking up at him, cognizance slowly seeping into his hazel orbs.

In a split second, Minho went from calmly staring at Chan to throwing himself up in a shaky standing position, pointing an accusatory finger at him. 

“You’re awake!” He yelled, his gaze wide and frantic as it scanned over him, looking for any abnormalities. 

“...Yes.” Chan stated blankly as he stared at Minho, trying to hide his amusement. 

Minho made a sputtering of incoherent noises as he waved his arms around. “I thought you were going to die, Chan! Don’t you ever dare do that to me again! You looked so sad and it’s all my fault that you fell! That girl pushed herself on me and I- I never meant to hurt you like that, Chan, you have to believe me. When you fell from your broom I didn’t know what to do and I just acted on instinct and I-”

Minho stopped, staring down at the finger pressed against his lips. 

“Shh,” Chan’s eyes glittered with barely contained laughter as he shook his head at him, hushing the panicked boy. 

Minho took his hand and held onto it, his gaze serious. “No, Chan, you don’t understand, I have to explain. That girl- her name’s Lila and her friends were just playing some cruel prank on her. They told her that I like her and told her to confess by kissing me. I don’t like her back and I explained that to her but I’m just so sorry Cha-” 

“I thought I told you to shush, dummy,” Chan reprimanded him, but Minho was not to be deterred. 

“But Chan I was so stupid and I’m so, incredibly sorry that I did that to you-” 

Chan heaved a great sigh as he looked on at the rambling Slytherin. He was so incredibly relieved that Minho didn’t have any feelings for the Slytherin girl - Lila, but he was also very tired of hearing his panicked apologies. Leaning forward, he grabbed onto Minho’s shirt and pulled him forward, pressing his lips to Minho’s. 

Minho tensed and went so deathly still that Chan’s heart leapt into his throat as he panicked, thinking that he had misread the situation. But then, Minho relaxed and leaned in. Chan’s eyes closed in bliss until they pulled apart and his hands slid off Minho’s coat.

Looking up into Minho’s confused eyes he felt his stomach flip as he realised what he just did. 

“Oh god! I’m so sorry! I wasn’t thinking and I just acted and I-” 

“Shush, dummy,” Minho whispered and met Chan’s lips again, smiling widely against them. He wrapped his arms around Chan and held him close as Chan laughed into the kiss, melting in Minho’s gentle hold. 

They pulled apart, breathing heavily, their cheeks flushed apple-red. Minho startled a little as he seemed to realise something. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a sparkling object. 

It was the little, rubber ducky necklace. 

“Felix gave it to me. Said he found it in your room. I was hoping you’d wear it again,” Minho whispered as he held out the little charm. 

Chan picked it up carefully and looked down at the dandelion yellow duck. 

  
“I would love to.” 

And as he picked up the necklace, his heart fluttered in his chest like a small butterfly. 

Maybe they’d be okay after all. 

  
  


… 

  
  


“Sorry for slapping you,” Felix mumbled, his eyes fixed on his lap. Changbin sat next to him, a hand covering the Gryffindor’s protectively. 

“It’s alright, Felix. I would’ve done the same if it were me.” Minho assured the blonde Gryffindor, realising how guilty and remorseful the younger looked. 

Felix’s face brightened a little at the assurances and he exchanged a bright smile with Changbin, who gave him a little nudge, as if to say, “See? I told you it’d be okay.” 

Minho turned his attention back to his adorable boyfriend, who was sitting next to him with a permanent pout turning his heart-shaped lips down. Chan’s arm was wrapped up in bandages- still not completely healed from the dreadful, painful hours of fixing his broken bones with skele-gro.

Minho elbowed the Gryffindor’s good arm and lifted a spoonful of oatmeal towards his lips. “C’mon Chan, you’ve got to eat.” 

Chan sighed loudly and glared at Minho with narrow eyes. “I can feed myself, Minho. I can use my other arm-”    
  


“Hush, child!” Minho declared loudly, shoving the spoon into Chan’s mouth. 

He ignored Chan’s little quip of, “I’m older than you,” and carried on with his parental tirade. 

“You, sir, are way too clumsy for that. You’d break your  _ other _ arm if you tried.” 

Chan protested greatly to little effect. All of his friends made some sort of noise of agreement and Chan groaned, ready to argue back. 

“Plus, I think it’s cute.” Minho teased, lightly tapping Chan’s nose with the spoon. 

Chan looked away, clearing his throat loudly as he ignored the quick thuds of his heart battering against his chest. 

“Hey, you  _ have _ to come to the game tonight.” Hyunjin declared from where he sat opposite of Chan, next to Jeongin. “It’s going to be a night to remember.” 

Chan looked down at his feet with a small frown. The Gryffindor-Slytherin game had been rescheduled for the next day after Chan’s accident. Madame Pomfrey had forbidden him from playing while his arm was still recovering, which meant that Gryffindor was down their Captain and their best chaser. And Chan was not happy. 

A small hand suddenly moved to rest on his and Chan glanced up. Jeongin gave him a bright grin and exchanged a sly look with Felix. “We’ve got some special plans for the three of us, Chan, so don’t worry!” 

Chan felt his lips twitch up and he gave the two boys a nod. “Special plans, huh? Sounds interesting. I’m in.” 

  
Felix and Jeongin cheered and stood up, circling around the table to haul Chan up. Chan waved a hasty goodbye to Minho, who flashed him an amused smirk and blew a kiss to him. 

“Sorry, Minho, Channie’s coming with us.” Felix giggled as he linked arms with Chan, pulling him towards the exit of the dining hall. 

“See you, Jinnie!” Jeongin waved at Hyunjin before bounding up beside Chan and Felix, eyes wide with excitement. 

“So, where are we going?” Chan asked hesitantly as they pulled him down the corridor. They moved through the halls quickly, heading towards the darker hallways. Soon, they reached a grand marble staircase. 

The way to the Slytherin dorms. 

Chan, trying to suppress the multitude of questions he wanted to ask, watched in surprise as Jeongin stepped up to the common room and uttered the password, “Thunderbird”, letting out a small cheer as the door swung open. 

“How did you-” 

“Hyunjinnie told me the password.”

Felix gave Jeongin a grin and stalked into the room, immediately heading towards the dorm rooms. The hallways were empty. Felix opened a door and slipped inside, as quiet as a cat. 

Jeongin took Chan’s hand and led him to the next door over. They entered the room silently and Chan took a moment to look around. He had never been in the Slytherin dorms before, not even for pranks. (He usually tried to stay out of those.) 

A greenish, smoky light drifted through large, circular windows that lined the walls. Below them, a big bed sat, emerald blankets fitted snugly over it. A large rug lay on the ground, it’s plush green fabric featuring a large, fearsome serpent. 

A creak sounded out and Chan turned to see Jeongin rifling through one of the tall closets that hugged the wall. 

“Innie! What are you doing?” Chan hissed as the Hufflepuff tossed some dark clothes out of the wardrobe. 

Chan saw Jeongin’s smirk as he said, “Don’t worry, Chan hyung. I found it.” 

“Found what?” Chan’s voice trailed off as Jeongin triumphantly held up a jersey. He turned it around and Chan saw “H. Hwang” inscribed on it in white letters. 

“Hyunjinnie’s quidditch jersey,” Jeongin answered as he pulled the large shirt over his head, laying it over his plain, long sleeve shirt. He tossed a wad of green towards Chan, who reached out and caught it before it hit the ground. 

Unfurling the soft fabric, Chan was met with a string of letters that read, “M. Lee”, printed on the oversized shirt.

“I can’t wear this,” Chan mumbled as he shoved it towards Jeongin- who was positively engulfed in the green shirt.

“What do you mean, Chan?” Felix peered in through the doorway, already clad in Changbin’s jersey. It hung off his lithe frame just like Jeongin’s. 

Chan stared at the jersey in his hands with wide eyes. “I mean it’s just-” 

“Wear it! Wear it! Wear it!” Jeongin and Felix chanted, drawing closer and closer to Chan.

“Augh! Okay,  _ demons _ . I’ll do it.” Chan sighed and pulled the jersey on. The large shirt was warm in the cold air that flowed through the dorms. Chan glanced up at the two expectant boys, smiling a little as he observed how tiny they looked in the shirts. “You two look adorable in those, by the way.”

“Minho’s is pretty big too, hyung. He’s going to flip out when he sees you.” Felix grinned and Chan looked down, noticing that shoot, Minho’s  _ is _ pretty big as well - and incredibly warm. 

Feeling a burst of unexplainable confidence, Chan strode over to Minho’s closet and grabbed his scarf, throwing it around his neck.

“Alright boys, let’s go.” Chan opened the door and stepped out into the hall. He looked back at Jeongin and Felix with a smirk. “We’ve got a game to catch.” 

  
  


… 

  
  


Minho flew through the air, his eyes slanted as he concentrated on the incoming bludger. Raising his bat, he timed the seconds before he swung, hitting the metal sphere dead on. It whizzed over the field, catching the end of a Gryffindor’s broom. The player, holding onto a quaffle, fumbled, and the ball was snatched by a passing Slytherin. 

Wiping his brow, Minho took a breath before he surveyed the crowd for what must have been the twentieth time. Focusing on the red and yellow splotches in the crowd, he tried to spot Chan. He was nowhere in sight. 

  
“C’mon, Minho! We’ve got to win!” Changbin flew by him, giving him a serious look. 

Minho frowned but tore his eyes away from the spectators, trying to keep his mind off of his missing boyfriend. The game went on with Slytherin slowly beginning to lose points to the other team. 

Well into the game, Minho had started to concentrate and was as invested in the game as he could be. After slamming his bat into a speedy bludger, his attention was stolen by a still figure, hovering in the air. 

Changbin was staring down at the crowd, a gobsmacked expression painting his face. Minho peered a little closer and saw a faint dusting of pink across the other’s cheeks as he gaped at whatever shocking sight below him.

Curious at what had the other so shook, Minho leaned over his broom, his eagle eyes scanning the ground below. Seeing a flash of green in the crowd of red and yellow, he squinted his eyes, trying to catch a better look. 

In a snap, he recognized Jeongin and Hyunjin, the two of them wearing matching Slytherin Quidditch Jerseys. They were cheering loudly, mischief evident on their faces. Minho looked up across the field to see Hyunjin, staring at his jumping boyfriend with wide eyes.

As Minho turned back to the game, a loud, very familiar voice cheered, “Go, Minho!”. He whirled around and his eyes locked onto a head of messy, blonde hair glinting in the light. 

He recognised Chan in an instant, his mouth falling open in surprise as he saw the older’s attire. Chan was bundled up in Minho’s extra Quidditch jersey, his pale skin snowy against the emerald green of the shirt. He was wrapped up in Minho’s green and white striped scarf, the tail end billowing in the wind behind him. 

And staring on at his boyfriend cheering him on with a wide smile, Minho could only think to himself,  _ Holy shit, I’m so whipped. _

Too busy ogling his stunning boyfriend, Minho didn’t notice the flash of dreadful black iron, heading straight for him like a shark to blood. Minho watched in slow motion as Chan’s eyes widened in horror and he screamed out something, his words lost in the frenzy of the crowd. 

Acting purely on instinct, Minho raised his bat, shielding his side just as a bludger careened into him, slamming off of the bat. The impact alone was enough to push Minho to the side, making him wobble dangerously on the broom. For a split second, he thought he’d be okay. Then, he fell. 

The wind whistled in his ears and his heart raced around in his chest, thudding against his ribs like a ticking bomb. Closing his eyes, he braced for the impact of his body on the hard, cold ground as he fell through the air. 

And just as he was about to become a very unhappy splat on the ground, a voice yelled out, “Wingardium Leviosa!” and suddenly, Minho was floating down into Chan’s arms. The Gryffindor swiftly pocketed his wand once Minho reached the ground and pulled the Slytherin into a bone-crushing hug, despite his bad arm. 

“What on earth were you thinking! Pay attention up there okay?” Chan berated him, all while pressing light kisses to Minho’s cheeks and forehead and lips. “You dummy- you’re lucky I was up last night practicing that spell just in case! My instincts are always right,” He exclaimed as he kissed Minho once more, sending Minho’s heart into overdrive. Minho didn’t care that the crowd around them was openly staring at the two of them locked in their embrace. Nothing else mattered except for Chan. 

“Hey, maybe I should fall off my broom more often if this is the punishment I get.” Minho joked and immediately regretted it as Chan rewarded him with a painful smack on the arm and a frown. Minho yelped at the slap and Chan’s frown was broken by a small smile. 

As Minho pouted at the older, Chan relented and leaned in to press one more kiss to Minho’s red lips. “You are such an annoying, stupid, cute, adorable boyfriend and you  _ suck _ ,” Chan whispered as they parted. 

“Kind of getting mixed signals here sweetie,” Minho teased before he took a step back to drink in the sight of the green-clad Gryffindor. “By the way, did I mention I like the green on you, Channie?” Minho hooked a finger around the curling fabric of the Slytherin scarf and tugged on the end of it teasingly. “But I do think it would look better on my floo-” 

Minho yelped in pain as Chan’s hand connected with his arm again in another fearful slap. “Ah! Sorry, sorry!” He wheezed through the pain, a large smile breaking out on his face. 

In a moment of unexplainable affection, Minho met Chan’s exasperated gaze and whispered happily, “I really like you, Chan. I really do.” 

Chan looked up with surprised, sparkling eyes and gave Minho a shy smile. “I really like you too, Minnie.” 

Minho took Chan’s hand and they walked back to the stands together, Minho not even caring about all the looks they were getting. 

He knew, somewhere deep in his heart that as long as he was with Chan, everything would be okay. And the best part was, Chan knew it too. 

  
  


… 

  
  


**End**

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Good job for making it through all of that!! 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed!（＾－＾✿）I had tons of fun writing it!! 
> 
> Thanks to my friend Sparkly_Chaotic_Neutral_Aesthetic for making this whole thing actually read-able and for being an absolute sweetheart throughout this whole crazy journey! Go check her out she's awesome :D 
> 
> Anyyywhooo tell me your thoughts in the comments if you want to :) 
> 
> See you next time \\(>w<)/


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